Never Once Told
by Dragoness of the Stars
Summary: A bunch of one-shots and drabbles I've had sitting around, waiting to be told. Or read, really. Tales that the Furious Five and Dragon Warrior have kept from you all this time...that are ready to be revealed. Warning: Everything is AU and everything hurts. (Well, mostly everything). R
1. Chapter 1: Hardcore

_Sooo, this is as the summary states; a buncha stuff I wrote I need to get rid off. And, oh, look at that, it's Kung Fu Panda! And (mostly) TiPo...yay..._

_These will only be attended to if a) They are very succesful b) If I'm really bored._

_And now that that's out of the way, let us begin! Nope, don't own Kung Fu Panda...yet... :D_

* * *

**_ Hardcore_**

* * *

It was midday. Lunch was steaming on the table in the palace kitchen, prepared for their five warrior residents. Problem was, only nine were seated, and the one person who was absent was nowhere to be seen.

Though most of the Masters were grateful for a meal and happily stuffing their faces, Tigress was too uneasy to eat. She poked at the tofu in front of her with one chopstick and narrowed her eyes.

"It's so strange eating without Po," Viper observed.

"I know! It's already been, like, five minutes since we've started eating, and he still hasn't shown up," added Monkey.

"More for us." Mantis grinned, serving himself a third bowl of noodles.

The agited look on Tigress's face soured to a dark grimace. "What's taking him so long?"

"Maybe he got held up in town bargaining for good prices?" Crane suggested without any hint of worry. He and Viper and Mantis shrugged and offered other situations that might of happened, but Tigress wasn't listening to them.

Her triangular ears pricked, then swivelled, then flattened. Distant, and almost inaudible, the sound of a pained shout of agony reached her sensitive hearing. The others might of heard it, too, if they hadn't been so busy talking. Tigress pushed herself out of her seat and rushed over to the door, eyes wide.

"What's wrong?" Monkey asked. Tigress hushed him with a sharp hiss and strained to hear better. There it was again; another yell.

Before anyone could stop her, she'd dropped on all fours and sprinted away from the barracks, towards the forest where the sounds were resonating from.

The yelps were faint but they got louder as she covered ground swiftly, paws padding silently on the frosted grass. She raced into the dense army of trees, her peripheral vision blurry but not enough so that she could determine that the massive, red-barked trunks at her side were Ironwoods.

Finally, after skidding to a brutal stop, she stood upright and stared in a mix of shock and horror at the panda in front of her.

Po's fist had collided with the iced-over surface of a tree, blood staining the white-and-brown wood from possibly the other blows he'd tried to deliver. The Ironwood had remained unscathed; the Dragon Warrior had not.

He cringed, exclaiming softly in miserable pain as he drew his clenched paw away, examining his injured knuckles and rubbing the dripping red stuff off with a handful of stinging snow.

"Just what...do you think you're doing?"

Tigress's voice was colder than a blizzard. Po whipped around in surprise, trying to smile sheepishly through his agonized grimace. "Umm...training?" He tried.

Though her expression was stony, the feline's fire-colored eyes were blazing in sudden anger. "Why are you here?"

Po sighed and rubbed his smarting wrists. It felt like his arms had been electrified then turned to lead over and over, and it hurt like crazy. His head still rang and rattled with the sound of the impenetrable trunk meeting the first punch he'd thrown at it. "I dunno," He muttured lamely, frightened to look at the fellow Master in the eyes. "Just wanted to...try and...forget everything, for a moment."

"What happened?" Tigress demanded, both exasperated and furious, "Why would you do this to yourself? Do you have any idea how much this can hurt you?"

"I do now." He ignored her first questions and kept stretching and curling his fingers.

"What were you thinking?" She spat. "Are you insane? Why would you try and hurt yourself like this? What...what WERE you thinking, Po?"

The bear scowled, expression switching to an irate look of mellow fury. "I don't know! I was thinking that maybe...that maybe, if I could prove to myself that I'm a real warrior, not just a stupid fat panda who has a lot of luck, maybe I could persuade everyone else too." He turned around, snow shaking off his slumped shoulders. "Because I can't even convince myself."

Tigress opened her mouth to say something, but he kept talking. "It must be pretty nice not to feel anything, huh? I mean, c'mon! Look at me-I didn't even so much as scratch the surface." He sneered in ridiculing disgust at himself. "I'm a lucky failure."

The feline closed her mouth and growled through gritted teeth, glaring at him for a full minute before marching over and grabbing his paw, gently but firmly. Po bit back a cry of pain as she started dragging him away, through the forest and past the snowy stretch of land, ignoring his protests and stomping over inside the back of the student Barracks and into her room. Po was too busy fighting back the fire-like agony in his hands to be nervous.

It wasn't until he was sitting down on one of the beds with Tigress rubbing healing salve into his wounded palms did he start to take in his surroundings and what was happening.

"Hey, what-?"

"Stay still, panda," she warned, and he flinched at her voice. "Stay still!"

He obeyed, focusing on the rythmatic, soothing pressure of the massage, then trying to ignore that too. "What are you doing?"

"You need to get bandaged up before infection sets in...stop moving already!" She finished one hand and moved on to the next, making sure to spread the substance over the sticky, clotting cuts.

Po winced. "Hey, I can do it myself,"

"No, you can't. You punched the tree with both hands, so you'll end up making an even bigger mess since they're covered in blood and splinters." She informed, a bit softer this time. Reaching out under her bed, she fished out a lightweight box where a roll of bandages was housed, and where she placed the small tub of salve. Po relented when she motioned for him to hold out his paws, though reluctantly.

"Tigress, you don't need to do this. It's my fault."

"It's not!" she snapped, wrapping a bandage a tad too tight. She paused, then looked down at the ground, asking after a moment, "Po, do you really want to not ever feel anything?"

Po hesitated and searched for an appropiate answer. "I want to be someone that I won't hate." he finally said. "Someone I'll respect. A real, awesome warrior! Yes. I don't want to be able to feel how much it hurts to be looked down on, or rejected, or insulted, because I'm different. I need to be...hardcore! Like-"

"Me?" Tigress's tone was barely a whisper, a hurt, betrayed whisper. "Someone who can't ever tell the difference between fear, or kindness, or respect, or hatred. Someone who's hurt and guarded herself beyond recovery to ignore the fact that no one...no one cares for her?"

Po's eyes widened as her blunt words settled in. "No, Ti, I didn't mean that! I'm sorry, it's not that...I mean, I want to be...stronger, not hardcore, not emotionless-not that you are! I mean, you...me...I'm so confused. But I didn't mean that! Oh, gosh, I'm so stupid sometimes..."

The striped she-cat closed her eyes and gave a shaky breath. Po expected her to at least punch him for saying something so harsh, possibly kick him through the wall. "Look, I'm really sor-" He began, but was cut off short when Tigress nearly tackled him with a hug, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her forehead into his fur.

"I'm so sorry," her words were muffled but quite distinguishable. "I did this to you...I'm sorry...I'm so sorry, Po." She wasn't sobbing, but it seemed like she wanted to. Her eyes were squeezed shut, fingers holding on tight, as if he'd be blown away if she let go. After he stopped being stunned, Po awkwardly pulled her in closer, careful not to loosen the bandages around his paws.

"It's...okay...Tigress." He managed, slightly bewildered. "Not your fault."

"It is," she wavered, "It really is." Slowly, she said in a fiercer tone that tickled the panda's ear, "Po, trust me, you have to feel. You'll regret it for the rest of your life if you train yourself to be hardcore. It hurts more not to feel, not to care, than it does if you do," Her voice was cracking, and she tried to hide herself further in the embrace by disappearing in her friend's protecting arms. Po swallowed hard, nearly panicking at seeing his over-serious friend so upset and distressed. He needed to get her back to normal, reassure her, calm her down.

The panda hesitantly stroked the feline in between her shoulder blades for comfort until she was breathing normally again, her grip weakening. "I'm sorry," she muttured again, "I'm...so...sorry I made you think that way." After a few more moments, she tried to regain her composure and self-consciously smoothed her fur down, looking at the floor in embarrassment once she'd torn away.

"Tigress," The black-and-white bear started again, but she quieted him again, this time by grabbing his paws in hers and staring at him square in the eyes, the misery showing there that wasn't present on the rest of her steely expression.

"Promise me, Po," she said in a quiet, authorative tone that watered down to a soft plead. "Please, promise me you won't ever touch an Ironwood again."

"But-"

"Look, you have no idea how many people respect and look up to you," She growled. "How many people would hate it if you could never feel. How many people care. So just, please...promise me."

Po shrugged, unbelieving. "Maybe once I see the people respecting me, not hating me for my stroke of favor, sure."

Tigress wanted to slap him, but instead she rolled her eyes and tried to keep her fur from bristling in irritation. "Right now, you're looking at someone who respects and looks up to you, okay? So there's one person." Po's green eyes grew a lighter shade in surprise. "And besides, don't forget your fan club...your dad...all the people in Gongmen you saved from Lord Shen, all the people you've ever helped in any way...I think that should be enough to satisfy you for now."

"Whoa, backpedal! You said that you-"

"You won't hear it again," she grumbled, a shadow of a smile on her face that disappeared and was replaced with a hurt frown and clouded eyes. "But can I trust that you won't ever try and be a hardcore warrior you aren't supposed to be?"

"That means...no Ironwoods?"

She growled almost angrily. "Never again."

After a moment of heavy silence, the Dragon Warrior stopped studying the floorboards and exhaled, "All right, promise."

Tigress blinked, finally able to breathe again. "Thank you," She offered him a small, half-smile which he returned before she suddenly let go of his paw and coughed, face burning red, though it was impossible to tell because of her fur color.

"I...I bet lunch is almost all gone," she forced herself not to mumble dismissively. "Did you get the supplies?"

Po stopped himself from bolting over to the kitchen long enough to answer, "Yeah, I left them down at the palace." Then he halted a second time and said in a gentler voice, "And Tigress...you said you can't feel anything, but I took it the wrong way, and I'm sorry. Because...now, I really don't think that's true."

Then he trundled carefully down the hall, leaving a certain feline to try and fight the delighted grin creeping up her snout.

* * *

Remember to review! ;)

*_Edit: 10-18-2014; I suppose I might hand out a fair warning. To those who absolutely despise everything and anything but TiPo, or cannot stand this certain feline and bear being the undeniably amazing best friends they are, or carrying out a brother/sister relationship, then the exit is that-away. Because I am not devoted entirely to this relationship standing only as a couple, and nothing less or more. I will reach out into the universe and mix it up more than a smoothy-kebabble, or whatever that platypus thing is about. This is about Kung Fu Panda and everyone in it's dimension, and all the possibilities they can reach, not just Tigress and Po riding off into the sunset happily ever after, 'kay? Good. Carry on or carry out. You have been warned. Now it's your choice. _

_Sincerely, DOTS. _


	2. Chapter 2: Memory

_Second one-shot! Thank you to the people who commented! This one might not make sense at first, but I'll install the second part soon after. Make sure to tell me what you all_ think!

* * *

_...Where am I?_

She had to be dead.

It felt like her body was floating aimlessly, numbly, through a syrupy black dimension. Nothing hurt. No sounds, no sight, no smells, no feeling, no pain. It was maddeningly boring.

Then something happened. Something evaded the endless Nothing.

At first it was just a dim feeling, a little sigh of the wind ruffling her fur. Then it became more real, condensed. A soft, yet rough-textured touch...

Then the numbness left too, and pain, burning, excruciating, wrenching pain seared through her every fiber. Sound filled her ears so loud they popped, the smell of smoke in the distance made her give a meek cough. The feel of the wet grass underneath, the crackle of a fire, warmth coming off from a few feet away, and that rough-yet-gentle touch over her forehead told her that her senses were working, but only a part of her registered the fact. Her sides screamed in pain, her whole being felt empty, and her brain was in a frenzy trying to sort things out.

Finally, she opened her eyes.

At first, her vision bounced, rolled, blurred, and mixed crazily. Then it shifted to a dizzy stop and adjusted to her surroundings; a clearing, bamboo encircling the bare patch of grass, a fire blooming up from a pit, making orange light dance with the shadows, a canopy of stars and navy gazing down at her from above, and a sleete-grey paw with black and bronze spots stroking her forehead.

"As I thought," Someone said, but his deep voice sounded fuzzy and disoriented.

"Where am I?" this 'she' person asked, groggy, looking over to see who had spoken. It was a well-built snow leopard with an overbite, dark yellow eyes, purple pants and a thick, spiked brown leather sash around his waist. Muscles rippled down his scarred arms, and faint burns traced down his body. Down his spine, a bristly black mane reached down to the middle of the feline's back.

"Just an unknown cave, in the middle of a dejected bamboo forest." The snow leopard gave a growling laugh. His voice was harsh and gravelly, as if it had seen better days.

"Who are you? Why am I here?"

When she looked down blearily at a nearby puddle, two golden eyes and a disgruntled-looking tigress' face looked back at her. The effort made her moan and grit her teeth in pain.

"Calm down, girl, you're gonna kill yourself again." The other feline reprimanded quickly, walking over and gently pushing the tiger down. Red circled her vision for a second but she let herself lay flat.

"What do you mean, again?" She snapped weakly.

"You really don't remember, eh? Surviving victims of the Wuxi Finger Hold rarely do. I was lucky." The snow leopard answered, going over to the fire and stirring the steaming liquid in a black pot hanging over the flames.

The tigress was about to answer when something went click.

_Wuxi Finger Hold victim. I was lucky._

_Wuxi Finger Hold..._

_You..._

"Tai-Lung?!" She blurted out unintentionally, eyes widening.

"Oh, so you do remember. Go on, keep thinking." Tai-Lung encouraged, dipping a large spoon into the broth and spilling it's contents into a bowl.

"I...who...Tai-Lung...Jade Palace. The Furious Five," The tigress inhaled sharply. "I am one of the Five. Master Tigress. Monkey, Mantis, Viper...and Swan? No, Crane, Crane. You were a student too, but you wanted something of power. A turtle-Oogway?-stopped you. You were sent to jail. Shifu...Shifu...Who is he?" She spoke slowly, as if reading a story that was just now unraveling.

"Shifu. Big ears, looks like a racoon with bushy eyebrows-here, drink this-Grandmaster of the Jade Palace, our foster father, ring a bell? Or a gong?"

"A gong." Tigress answered, obediently finishing the soup and trying not to make a sour face at the taste. But the pain ebbed away, leaving her with that peaceful feeling of numbness. "Shifu, the red panda...yes, I remember now. He took me from Bau Gu Orphanage and trained me to the Jade Palace."

Her face was distant, eyes flashing like she was looking back on hard times. Tai-Lung sat down in front of her and waited patiently, prompting on with a gesture.

"I trained with ironwood trees for twenty years and I tried my best at Kung Fu. Shifu never said anything. I was his student, end of story." Tigress swallowed. "Then you broke out of jail. Oogway selected a Dragon Warrior." Then her face went blank. "I forget...what happened?"

"A panda. Po." Tai-Lung filled in. At the mention of his name, Tigress's face starting feeling warm and her heart began to unconsciously skip just a little faster. The snow leopard grinned at her. "He was the Dragon Warrior." He finished. "Fell out of the sky in a 'ball of fire'."

"Dragon Warrior." She repeated distantly, screwing her eyes into slits in concentration. But no sign of recognition showed in Tigress's, save that her ears were still red and face flushed, though she herself didn't know why. Anger? Frustration? Embarrassment? She shook her head and sighed. "I don't...I can't remember."

"Well, the recovery of your memory is pretty impressive, Ti." Tai-Lung grunted, drawing up to his feet. "You should rest, though. The effects of the broth will wear out soon."

As he said that, Tigress's eyes drooped and began shutting like blinds. She stifled a yawn, but then something else speared her mind and unclouded a little part of the past.

Ti.

Tai-Lung had called her that, instead of Tigress. She was pretty sure remembering only one other person calling her that.

_Bye, Ti._

_Goodbye, Dragon Warrior._

And before her mind slipped out of conciousness, that same caring voice revealed a faint memory, a gentle, innocent character, the murky image of green eyes and a black-and-white shape.

But before Tigress could figure out anything else, everything went dark for a long time.

* * *

_Ok, I admit it. No matter how much I love TiPo, TiTai is kinda cute. This can be determined as friendship, bro/sis or romance. Your choice. Please give me some feedback! Nope, don't own KFP by the way._


	3. Chapter 3: Before

_This is for all those disappointed TiPo lovers who wanted to know what happened before the last chapter...so here you go! Make sure to tell me what you think!_

* * *

Two guards, a black panther and komodo dragon, were waiting for the seven, soon-to-be-six members of the Jade Palace. At the edge of the Valley of Peace, the buzzing, impatient swarm of soldiers waited.

The six Masters looked on somberly, eyes shielded and straining not to show any emotions, but yet they bubbled over through the corners, a mix of miserable remorse, grief, and a tint of anger veiled behind the Furious Four's, Po's, and Shifu's eyes. Tigress wouldn't meet any of their gazes; she just gripped her paws so tight her knuckles turned white, but yet no pain flared in her hands. But meanwhile, inside, it seared her like a wave of fire.

"Tigress, are you sure this is what you want?" Shifu asked worriedly, wringing his hands, ears drooping.

The feline nodded hesitantly. "Yes, Master." Though she didn't show any signs of uncertainty, the red panda felt sure she was at least just a bit nervous.

He stammered out something real intelligent like, "Uhhh...Tigress-" And then was struck speechless. Tigress looked at him almost expectantly, narrowing her eyes in question.

Shifu wanted to protest. He wanted to say, 'No way. Don't even think about doing this'. He wanted to hold her back, to reassure her she didn't have to go through with this...task.

But he restrained, because he knew that it couldn't be stopped. Tigress had made her choice.

But at least...the Grandmaster could relieve her of a burden she'd held for him for such a long time. Something he'd meant and failed to tell her so many times.

Averting eye contact, he began slowly, "What I mean to say, Tigress is...is I'm sorry. I'm sorry for so many things. For being cold towards you. For never showing any love. For not...being the...the father you deserved. I'm sorry for everything."

Slowly, the feline's golden eyes widened, and she opened her mouth to speak, but Shifu continued quickly, trying not to stumble over his words as his feelings rushed out in sentences. "I'm proud of you. I was always proud of you, Tigress, and now I can only hope you'll forgive me for being so thick-headed, not realizing what I was doing to you and only wallowing in my self-pity. You didn't deserve me as a father. But you..." Shifu gave a short breath, and looked up at her earnestly, "...you have made me more than proud, my daughter." He finished.

Tigress stifled a stunned gasp, mouthgaping and eyes even wider, shaking in shock. "I...Master Shifu...?"

"That was so freaking BEAUTIFUL!" Mantis sobbed into Monkey's tail, and the primate snatched it away, glaring at him.

"Uhm..." Tigress stammered, then pinched herself only to realize she still couldn't feel anything. "Right...I'm guessing this isn't...a dream?"

Shifu gave a small, tight smile. "No, it's not."

Tigress looked down at the ground. A million thoughts galloped through her mind, heart hammering in her ears, but yet she couldnt get past her hardcore barrier. "Master, I-" She exhaled, closing her eyes and clenching her fists. "I..."

"I know you aren't one for emotional words," Shifu said softly, resting his hand on her paw. "So don't worry about it."

She gave him a grateful look, and not only for the excuse. She bowed, and her foster father returned the gesture. Then she turned and stared at the remaining five of her friends.

"Guys..." She began feebly, wanting to tell them how great a team they were, that she couldn't of ever asked gor better friends, but instead Crane, Monkey, Viper, and Mantis tackled her with a group hug.

She stood rigid in shock for a moment, eyes huge. Not what she expected, but still, it was better than having to make a long speech. Much better.

"We'll miss you, Ti." Viper said mournfully, choking back tears.

"A lot." Monkey added, patting her back. Everyone parted from the hug.

"Yeah...have fun sacrificing yourself for us." Mantis pouted.

"Mantis!" Crane hissed in warning.

"Oh. Sorry. Hehe." The little green insect gave an awkward, sheepish grin.

Tigress sighed. "Thank you." she managed. "For everything."

"We are more than honored to have fought alongside you." Viper answered.

"And to be called your friends." Crane said.

Mantis sniffled and accused, "You're gonna make me cry again!"

The feline gave a weak smile, eyes just a tiny bit misty, then turned to Po, the last one to say goodbye.

Honestly, she wasn't sure how she felt with this panda. But he was definitely one of her best friends; he deserved a proper farewell.

"Po, I-" She began, but couldn't get past that, her ears slightly red and cheeks warm, but from what she didn't know.

The panda's eyes were so sad Tigress though her heart would break. In them, she saw everything she'd ever been through with him-and just how much the Dragon Warrior didn't want her to leave.

He was her biggest fan, wasn't he?

He wrapped his arms around her in a protective, comforting hug, nearly lifting her off the ground, and this time Tigress didn't freeze. She drew in a long breath, squeezed her eyes tight, and hugged him back. Crane's beak dropped to a new record.

The panda knew she had to leave. And he also knew that if she left...he would never be the same again. His dream of being best buds with amazing Master Tigress had come true...only to vanish. She'd done too much for him already. Nearly killed herself twice to protect him. Dragged him through his hard times. And what had he done for her? Nothing.

The Dragon Warrior was feeling pretty selfish.

"I-I'm glad I got to know you, Dragon Warrior." Tigress mumbled. "Oogway couldn't of made a better choice."

Maybe those words were supposed to make Po feel better, but all it did was make his eyes widen and heart feel like lead. He flattened his ears miserably against his skull. "Ti, look, are you absolutely sure-"

"Positive." she answered firmly. Blood rushed to Po's head in panic as he closed his eyes in pain of letting his friend go and he inhaled sharply. He couldn't stop her. She was going to leave-and die-for them. All he could do was pull her closer to him and hope that she would never go.

Softly, Tigress whispered in his ear, "Don't forget me, Po."

Just by the tone of voice, Po could tell she wanted to sob, but it was taking all her will not to. "I won't. I promise, Tigress." He responded firmly, clenching his jaw. Don't leave, he wanted to plead, and I won't have to just remember you.

But his silent begging was useless. Tigress pulled apart from his embrace, looked up at his face, and tried to give a reassuring smile. It might of not cheered the mood, but it was still undeniably sweet. "Punch some ironwoods for me, okay?"

Po looked at the ground guiltily. "Yeah...yeah, okay." He promised, his voice a shaking mix of feelings. Tigress grabbed one of his paws gently in hers, studying his swirling expression.

"Don't blame yourself on what has to happen, Po." She said. "No one can do anything about it."

Po nodded. He understood. He just did not want this to go through. But he gave an unsure smile and gently pulled Tigress once more into his arms. "Bye, Ti." He managed.

"Goodbye, Dragon Warrior," She gave him a quick, compulsive nuzzle, almost resisting the urge to purr, for some really weird reason, then a shiver of warmth tingled down her spine as Po bent forward and kissed her lingeringly on the forehead, his damp nose nudging against her furry skull. For a moment, her vision turned milky with a strange feeling. Then she smiled at him and parted reluctantly from his arms, feeling red all over. Crane swooned, only for Monkey to push him back up. The rest stifled gasps. Shifu raised his eyebrows until they looked they were jumping off to freedom.

Tigress gazed out at everyone, biting her lip to keep from letting her emotions rule, and gave a small wave. Mantis started bawling, and Monkey offered him his tail.

The komodo dragon guard waved his scaly hand in the air, and a violent, sucking vortex apparated in thin air. The female black panther's green eyes flashed with deep sympathy, and she put a paw on Tigress's shoulder. "Come, now."

Tigress shrugged her paw off, stood up as straight as a sentenced person could, and walked towards to the whirpooling portal. She looked back one last time at her best friends, and a tear snuck out as she slit her eyes, her blood seeming to go cold. She stared at Viper, who was wiping tears away, Shifu, who was saying so much with those pain-filled blue eyes, and the feline's heart skipped a beat as she gazed softly at Po's anguished face, his jade eyes closing.

It took only two seconds for her to determine her choice. She would not let her friends die, even if it meant sacrificing herself. She turned, and before she lost nerve, dove feet-first into the vortex, which swallowed her inside, and she disappeared. The guards followed, and the portal vanished as well.

Suddenly, there was sound like the jingle of bells, forlorn and distant, and a huge tsunami of gold light washed over the valley, creeping up like a persistent wave that encompassed even the mountains, making the Masters take temporary cover as golden glow bathed the atmosphere, and then was gone like a whisper in the wind.

The army had disappeared as well. Villagers came out of their homes timidly, gasping, some cheering. But Po felt sick. More than grief-stricken. He wanted to crumple, and by the terrified expressions of the others', so did they. But he had to be strong. For them.

For Tigress.

Shifu and he swapped knowing glances. Po looked away and sighed. "Let's go home, guys."

* * *

_So there you have it! Unless requested, you will have to guess what happens to Tigress after the previous chapter. Does that make sense...?_

_I feel like I did I really bad job on the Shifu/Tigress father/daughter moment, but, eh. Your opinions are what count!_


	4. Chapter 4: Frenemy

The "Where Two Characters Hate Each Other But would be Absolutely Devastated if Something Happened to the Other" Part 1 AU

Boat Scene

Aprox. 4:25 a.m.

Location: Boat deck, on the river, heading towards city in the far distance

Characters: Tigress and Po

Theme: Mutual Friend Hate

Humanization Alternate Universe Setting

What if….Tigress never really stopped hating Po….?

* * *

—

Tigress had a nasty habit of being a light sleeper. This she regretted most severely, especially with a traveling companion who had been waking up with frequently recurring nightmares.

She opened her startlingly crimson-amber eyes to the sound of Po stumbling out to the quarterdeck, breathing shallowly. It was hard to make out through the fuzzy darkness of previous sleep, but she swore he was muttering, "Radish, radish, radish, radishradishradish…"

The master blinked heavily and hoisted herself up on her palms, then stretched out her arms and cracked her knuckles with a quiet, cat-like yawn. Outside came the sound of fists pounding against wood, followed by a string of aggressively forceful 'Inner peaces".

Tigress really, really wanted to sleep. Po really, really would not shut up.

Sure, the fellow warrior had gained a state of respect in her eyes, but the little beating fire still pulsed annoyingly against the walls of her mind every waking hour. Urging, nagging, fueling the last drops of hatred she had felt at first to spark and grind every now and then. She couldn't really say she outright despised him. After all, hate was a very strong word.

No, she was…still not quite used to him, and his boyish character, the untidiness of the peasant he had initially been not wearing off even when the mantle of a master befell him. Maybe some of that was her fault. She really hadn't encouraged him that much after that smile. She had tried her best, in fact, to not adapt to him, but to channel around him. Ignore the poor guy, if you will. He had taken away her destiny. Her last chance to make her father proud. Everything she had strived to-

BANG

Never mind. That mast sounded like it needed help. There was no way she would be able to doze off again, leastways.

With a dreary half-groan, Tigress pushed herself up and clambered out to the foredeck. Between her and the quarterdeck where the conveniently levitated barracks, structured as a half circle with the mast poking out behind it. Said mast was vibrating from a flurry of loud strikes.

The female warrior let herself stare at the stars for a comfortable moment; the pale crescent moon was shining just enough to make her vest turn purple. It's wavering moonlight shafted down at the front of the bobbing dinghy, yet allowed enough shadowy cover for her to sneak up on the fellow warrior running around in frustration on the quarterdeck.

She crossed the wooden roof of the ship's quarters nimbly, and her footsteps weren't even heard.

Po was apparently too busy pounding his head against the mast. Half of his shirt was soaked, and his fists were beginning to bruise slightly. Tigress raised an eyebrow in silent question. Why was a dream about a radish upsetting him to this extent?

After a few more head-poundings, Po resorted to dancing around the deck, yelling wildly and slamming his fist into the wooden beam. Teeth clenched, growling, over and over, "Inner peace, innerpeaceinnerpeacepeacepeacepeaaaccee—!"

"Ahem," Tigress scowled sourly, glaring at the back of his black-haired head.

He froze. Looked up. Cringed pathetically.

"Oh. Tigress. I mean, Master, uh. Tigress. Forgive me for waking you. I was just…training." His eyebrows pinched up and paired with a cowardly smile.

Tigress rolled her eyes in hidden distaste. "And you deem your mast as a worthy opponent, Dragon Warrior?"

Po wanted to take it as sarcasm, but having lived with the warrioress, he knew by now that witty remarks didn't fit in her book. One look at the serious, narrow-eyed gaze on her otherwise nonchalant face, and it was enough to keep him in line.

"Uh. I guess." He shrugged and lifted his palms up.

Tigress sighed and flipped onto the desk gracefully. Po slumped into a sheepish pose, then glanced at her briefly, curiosity betraying his wariness in his green eyes. "So, you gonna chi-block me again?"

She shook her head slowly and stretched out her arm, gloved hand poised in a palm-strike. "If one's training, the opponent must have at least some minuscule way of countering."

"Is that a metaphor, or—"

"With all due respect, Dragon Warrior, quiet yourself and face your opponent." Tigress smirked faintly, and slit her eyes in challenge. "She is ready."

Po blinked at her, scanning her face, then her hand. "So, you want me to punch you."

"Yes, Master Po, now—"

"But wouldn't that be, y'know, action without sufficiently harming cause or whatever?"

"Don't interrupt me," Tigress snapped hesitantly, then folded one hand behind her back and nodded at him. "Begin."

"But—"

"I'm threatening to chi-block you. That should be a sufficient enough warning." She grumbled. "And stand up straight."

Po sighed uneasily, then cleared his throat and stood erect. "Okay, here goes…"

He drew his fist back, let out a fierce, short shout and slammed it into her open palm as hard as he could.

BOOM

The impact sent cold shudders up his arm. Sharp, concise pain snatched his breath away and he stood there with in his rigid stance, staring in terrified awe at the unaffected person in front of him.

"AOW-HOW-owhowwooowww…" he yelped, a bit late. He sucked in the last dignity he could muster and mumbled squeakily, "I think I prefer the mast, M-Master Tigress."

Her hand had been tense and slightly withdrawn to greet the attack, but now she slipped it away and held it lightly in her other hand. "I…have trained severely at times." She closed her eyes as if caught on the cloud of a distant, hurtful memory. "Perhaps…too severely. But no matter."

She looked up and stared at him, chin jutting out defiantly, and spoke quickly to cover her mistake. "What matters is that you, Dragon Warrior, have awoken several of the Furious Five members, including myself, to a number of interesting circumstances, supposedly assumed dreams, that have you muttering the strangest incantations about vegetables and.." She looked away, wondering whether to poke so far and add that she'd heard him sniffling about his mother.

"And that's all."

It took Po a whole 39 seconds to process what she's said, and another 4 to understand it. "So, you know I've had nightmares?"

Leave it to him to simplify the obvious. "Yes."

Tigress lifted her palm up invitingly, and Po continued to punch, though with much less heart.

"And?"

"And I want to know what's bothering you." she stated coolly, her teeth secretly gritting together. "It is not highly recommended to wake up half-way before dawn."

Po took her vague discomfort and managed to understand the message. "Oh. So I've woken you up before? A lot…"

Nod.

He winced. "Uhm…I apologize." He cleared his throat and sighed sharply. "And it's nothing to worry about, really. Just stupid dreams."

"They're not stupid if they can awake a warrior. Dreams are nothing to be ashamed of." Tigress muttered gruffly. "Now, pray tell." She caught his punch and dug her fingers into his knuckles to pause their little sparring session.

The strange, softly serious tone of her voice made Po feel painfully…closer, to the fellow warrior. More accepted than he had ever been before, except for possibly that even weirder after-battle smile she'd granted him a few months ago.

He felt…remotely cared for.

The sensation washed away quickly as the nightmare seeped back into his conscious. Slumping down onto a crate, he finally responded, "It wasn't just about vegetables, Master Tigress. It's that, well…I just found out that my dad…isn't really my dad."

Tigress sat down next to him and squinted, her ears pricking up to verify what she'd heard. After an awkward stall of conversation, she looked at him with a mask over her incredulousness and echoed, "Your dad. The one who's four feet tall?" _And looks absolutely nothing like you...?_

He bobbed his head up and down in pouty affirmation, looking off at the horizon solemnly. "Yeah."

"That…okay." She coughed and blinked several times. All this let-out of emotion was confusing her. "And this is what's bothering you, Dragon Warrior? Causes the nightmares?"

"Well. Yes. Well, no. It's just…nah. We're warriors, right? Nerves of steel! Souls of platinum!" He grinned nervously at her, his attempts at friendliness having absolutely no effect on her stoic demeanor. "Like you, Master Tigress. So..hardcore, y'know, ya…don't really feel anything."

The words stung like acid. Her face remained blank, but inside her breath hitched with unknown pain. She had just let leak some of her own feelings to him, and yet he treated her like…like she was heartless.

The flame inside her increased, roaring, and the walls began to crumble. But it felt wrong. It wasn't hate she felt.

It was desire.

The strangest, most choking want for the idiot beside her to accept the small ray of her soft side she'd just exposed. But involuntarily, he had just pushed that over a cliff.

"I…" she began, staring down at the planks of wood between her feet. "I was…?"

No. Her forsaken destiny screamed. Don't even try.

Honor won again. She zipped her mouth shut, saved by the sudden appearance of the rest of the Five, and let her emotions suffocate her words dry.

* * *

So, new chapter! And tis very short! But, umm, make sure to leave a review...Not really my fault that Big Hero 6 and LEGEND OF FREAKING KORRA have destroyed my life.


	5. Chapter 5: Pirates

_**Pirates  
**_

* * *

Hai! Two chapters in 1 day! Don't own KFP!

WOOPS.

TiPo and Pirates of the Caribbean over-loaded and short-circuited my brain. I'm so sorry.

Well, not really. BWAHAHA.

Just make me shut up and enjoy this two-shot of AU sickly-Divergent romance.

('K, so, this might be confusing, so let me feed you some info. before you read. Valley of Peace flooded after a massive storm. Half of Jade Palace warriors thought dead. Most survived. Some found interesting ways to do so. Others...started new lives.

But even when you're quite the opposite of a Kung Fu Master, "accidents" are always meant to be...)

* * *

(Excerpt One)

Captain Jia'ky didn't bother to fake registering that a certain panda had clambered up the quarterdeck next to her beside the helm. She kept staring straight at the sea, which was calm and dark blue and yet ever-restless in the night, with each star like a glimmering white freckle adorning the navy expanse of saltwater. She had her elbows resting on two spaces between the helm's spokes, balancing her unmarked, black-furred feline head on her palms. Amber-crimson eyes that might of held a million secrets observed the skyline unblinking, not even sparing a glance at Po.

The bear ran one hand nervously down the handle of his dirk, rubbing his neck self-consciously. For the moment, he seemed to be on pretty good terms with the captain. He didn't want to ruin the thin, yet slowly growing bond forming between them, connecting them in something else other than just boss and crewman; connecting them as friends.

But he had to know. This was more important than friendship, he tried to remind himself. This was the secret of secrets, the only spark of an idea that roped him to his home and family and past. He cringed, fidgeting a bit more. Tugging the sleeves of his baggy shirt, smoothing down his patchy black pants, trying to distract himself with how strange he looked compared to two years ago, when he'd been someone different. He'd been the Dragon Warrior. Master Po. Adopted son of Mr. Ping. THE big fat panda. Now he was Hong, second mate of the best ship in the eastern half of the world, a rowdy pirate, who, well, by no loose definition, was fat at all. Might as well of been THE (one and only) skinny panda.

He shook himself out of his thoughts, balancing on his toes and smirking when he saw how much taller he was than Jia'ky. She raised her eyebrows without looking back. "Hong, you might be taller, but I'm still in charge." She turned around, leaning casually on the helm and keeping a firm grip on it with one paw. "What do you want?" Her eyes were guarded, her tone easy-going but unreadable. She seemed transfixed by the pattern stitched in the fabric of her silk scarf then demanded a bit harder, "Well?"

Okay. It was now or never. Never. No, now!

Po tried to ignore the sweat beading down his forehead. "Captain...Jia'ky. Is it okay if I ask you a few, umm, questions?"

She shrugged, voice wary, "Ask first, and then I'll decide,"

Po bit back a soft groan, kneading his hands together, green eyes darting to anything but her face. "Well," He hesitated, "How did you become a pirate? I mean, were you...ever something before that?"

She glared at him sleepily out of one sunset-colored eye, smoothing her wind-blown fur down. Finally, she sighed. "Maybe. I don't like to linger in the past."

"Oh? Do you mean you were something worse than a piaretess before?"

She growled half-heartedly. The floorboards suddenly became very engrossing, then she turned her full attention back on the wheel sharply. "Someone wise once told me that the yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery...but today is a gift," She slit her eyes against a spray of white water that hissed over the deck. "That is why we call it the present."

Po stopped staring at the dark splatters of liquid on the spotless ship floor and let his brain ring with the Captain's previous comment. He was so wrapped up in distant memories he didn't notice Darrin start pacing suspiciously close to the quarterdeck.

"Who told you that?" The panda ventured, trying to stem any leaking hope.

"Like I said," she sighed, "A wise friend."

Po's expression fleeted from uneasy, confused, uncertain, and then determined. This was his one chance. His one and only chance to see if he wasn't going insane.

To see the truth behind the mask.

Darrin picked at his claws with one of his daggers, but his intense yellow gaze never wavered from the panda and black panther above him. This was it.

Po screwed his mouth in a frown, then swallowed his fears down and grabbed Jia'ky's shoulder gently, so that she turned around and glared at him. "Hong-"

"You know that's not my real name, don't you?" He said softly. Jia'ky wrenched herself free from his hold, tense and agitated, ready to unsheathe her curved swords at any moment.

"I don't know what you mean," she spat, eyes narrowed and more fiercely shielded than ever.

Po fingered the edge of his bandana but regained his composure and stared back hotly. Too late to back down now. "You do know." He murmured. "I know you do."

"Hong-"

Before she could of stopped him, and before he could stop himself, he'd reached over and wiped his rough dark paw against her cheek, fingers sliding down under her eye and tracing a smudge down her fur.

She'd whipped up and clenched his paw but it was already too late. The paint, oily and sharp-smelling and sticky when he rubbed his palm, had been smeared off, and a strip of orange and white shone stark against the rest of her pitch black pelt.

After letting slip a small gasp and a smile, the excitement of his discovery broke through. "I knew it!" Po was almost hysterical with victory and joy. "It's you!"

He'd failed to notice Darrin also smirking, a nasty, triumphant curve that seemed to twist his handsome features into a cruel sneer. He began to climb forwards, just to prove his suspicions to himself and see the truth.

Jia'ky had noticed the snow leopard, though. And so, while Hong grinned and almost announced to the whole world, "It really is you, Ti-" she resorted to desperate measures.

The feline clawed at a fistful of his shirt frantically and dragged him in towards her, cutting off his gleeful sentence and the space between them by pulling him down and locking her lips to his his, roughly and hastily. Heat rushed to her face out of instinct. Po forgot what he'd been saying, red flooding his cheeks, his eyes so wide they were about to pop out. Darrin blanched sort, stared for two seconds, then stumbled back down to the deck in disoriented bewilderment.

The female big cat found it disturbingly comfortable with the black-and-white bear so near to her. She'd jerked him in so close that he had forced her back against the helm and he had had to brace his hands against the wooden steering wheel, claws digging in for a firm hold so that he wouldn't fall. He wanted to say something, at least gasp a little bit in surprise, but instead Po found himself pressing closer, as if it were possible.

Then Jia'ky clenched both his shoulders and drove him down to the floor, pinning him under one knee, drawing her snout away from his and glaring at him with eyes that could of burnt through iron. Po blinked. Why was she angry at him? Why was the world turning into porridge? Oh, look, Jia'ky's silver necklace was dangling close to his nose. Why was it so shiny all the sudden? Why did his mouth feel so strange and warm? What was his name again?

Jia'ky snarled, teeth gleaming in the moonlight, claws pricking at the bear's loose shirt. "You moron," she hissed, "You bumbling idiot, I'll kill you. I'll kill you."

Hong/Po slowly dared to stare at her dead in the eyes. Jia'ky had known what color his irises were. She'd memorized how they could change from spring-green too dark, dark green to the color of soft jade. She had already known how his ready laugh had sounded. She knew him then, and she knew him now.

Po suddenly seemed to jump-circuit into his senses again, and his jaw slowly dropped. "D..dd...drr..." Okay, maybe his brain wasn't functioning too properly yet. Perhaps in an hour, he'd be able to form full sentences again. His gaze wandered over to the left side of her face, grazed now with a long orange-gold smudge. Quickly, she smeared the remaining paint over it so a thin coat of black hid away the secret.

The captain's iron grip lessened, but the anger in her contorted expression was replaced with stony coldness. "Get up." She ordered, sliding off his stomach and standing upright. She offered the bear no help and instead resumed steering, eyes trailing to the misty horizon. "And go. I don't want to see you anywhere."

"T...I mean, Jia-"

"Go," The command was simple, but behind it was restrained at least a dozen other emotions and messages. "Now."

Po breathed in through his mouth, held his breath as if to say something, then exhaled and trundled down the quarter deck stairs.

Fine. The secrets hadn't been worth it.

He'd leave the ship, and he wouldn't turn back.

* * *

Dun dun dun! I know, unanswered cliff-hanger. Maybe I'll post a second part later. Also, I am so sorry if this confused you, so if you have questions, ASK! :)

I don't know, I just really, really like pirates...

Side note: Darrin: Tai Lung + Hook-for-a-paw! Yes, I know, this should be a whole different fic but I couldn't help myself...


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